One of the pieces featured in the "Cash Crop" exhibit.

Artist Stephen Hayes’ powerful exhibition “Cash Crop” opens this Friday, Jan. 13, at the Harvey B. Gantt Center.

The collection consists of 15 life-size sculptures of former slaves — men, women, and children of all ages — each naked and shackled. The images serve as symbolic representations of the 15 million Africans imported to the Americas from 1540 to 1850 through the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The exhibit invites viewers to get up close and personal with each unique individual slave. “The reason I made it so that people could walk through the exhibit is so they could feel apart of it,” said Hayes.

The sculptures were created from a mixture of burnt wood, cement, metal and other media — and figures were made from molds of Hayes’ friends and family.

“I wanted to use everyday people that you might see if you just walked out on the street,” he said. Hayes also wanted to add a humanizing element to portraying such an inhumane act.

“They transported these people as goods,” he said. “They were not people to them; they were just a commodity.”

The 28-year-old substitute teacher added that his mission is for his artwork to create dialogue.

“I want everyone to think about what’s going on today and what went on in the past and all the parallels that connect these events in time,” he said. “I want them to walk away thinking about today’s society and where we get our products from … and just consumption in general.”

Hayes said he came up with the idea for “Cash Crop” after discovering a diagram of a British slave ship. At the time, he was completing his undergraduate studies at Savannah College of Art and Design. “Cash Crop” was initially his MFA thesis project. It took him about five months to complete.

Stephen Hayes standing next to one of his works. (Photo courtesy of the artist.)

As for being an artist, Hayes doesn’t view himself that way.

“I don’t say artist because everybody is an artist nowadays,” he says. “It seems like as long you have a concept, you are an artist… It’s more about what the artist is saying, than it is about what the artist actually made.”

“I feel like I’m a creator.”

“Cash Crop” opens Friday (Jan. 13) at 6 p.m. along with two other exhibits — “Rhythm-A-Ning,” featuring the abstract art of James Phillips, Charles Searles and Frank Smith; and “Contemporary African Photography” by Malick Sidibé and Zwelethu Mthetwa

The openings will launch a series of activities designed to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday weekend.

On Saturday (Jan. 14), at 10:30 a.m., Hayes will lead a plaster mold-making workshop. Participants will create unique face and hand molds. The cost for the workshop is $10 with museum admission and is limited to 20 participants. At 2 p.m., Hayes is slated talk about the inspiration that led to “Cash Crop.” The discussion will be moderated by Tanure Ojaide, a renowned Nigerian poet and writer.

Friday’s opening is free for members and $5 for the general public. Guests can RSVP online at www.ganttcenter.org. General admission for the Gantt is $5 on both Saturday and Sunday. On MLK Day — Monday, Jan. 16 — admission will be free.

For more information on other events this weekend at the center, visit the Gantt’s website. 

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